Cruise Holidays in Vietnam fr. £2,780pp

05 Dec Cruise Holidays in Vietnam fr. £2,780pp

Are you looking to experience unforgettable cruise holidays in Vietnam? This itinerary is most certainly sure to appeal to you, experience luxury cruise holidays in Vietnam with Barefoot Traveller.

Pack your bags and get ready to sail through Vietnam as part of our fabulous cruise holidays offering. Cruise holidays in Vietnam will offer you the chance to experience a truly memorable holiday onboard a luxury cruise ship as it makes its way through Vietnamese forests, historical monuments and also floating markets where you’ll shop for your basic and fancy needs simply because you cannot disappoint yourself and look away! During your cruise you will also be provided with luxury accommodation on land where needed. Vietnam has a wide range of entertainment options to please you even on board the cruise. Some of the activities that you can look forward to include KAYAKING, cycling in a dense forest or even trying your hand at preparing a local Vietnamese dish. Explore cruise holidays with Barefoot Traveller

The Tour (13 nights)

DAY 01: Departure

Depart from your preferred airport from London

DAY 02: HANOI

Upon arrival Hanoi, your tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. You will later on embark on a leisurely 2 hour cycle ride to explore the central market of Dong Xua and then visit the famous Old Quarter. Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 03: HANOI

On your second day, you will visit President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, the famed Temple of Literature and legendary Hoan Kiem Lake.

You will have the afternoon at leisure to rest or continue to explore the city by yourself. That evening, you will round off your cultural excursion in Hanoi with the sweet sights and sounds of a Water Puppet Show. Overnight in Hanoi

DAY 04: HANOI – HA LONG BAY (transfer time: approx. 3h30m)

Transfer to Halong & board the Au Co Cruise. The first day of your cruise is an introduction to the amazing scenery of Halong Bay and its southern sister; Lan Ha Bay. Cruising through Halong Bay will literally take your breath away, as we pass famous spots like Thien Cung and Me Cung caves, plus Soi Sim and Titov islands. Also located in the Gulf of Tonkin, to the south of Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, Ba Trai Dao and the Ho Ba Ham islets offer tranquillity and nature at its best, and a guided kayaking tour or a refreshing swim in

DAY 05: HA LONG BAY

Cat Ba Island is famous for its national park, with more than half the island designated. The secluded village of Viet Hai, situated in the middle of this pristine environment, is easily accessible thanks to a short walk or cycling trip and is where we are developing an organic farm which you can visit.

Bai Tu Long Bay, located a little further east of Halong Bay, is the most remote area of your voyage. The exceptional scale and variety of the geological rock formations in this area are sure to make this a future destination for cruising in the Gulf of Tonkin. A relaxing rowing boat tour through the floating village of Vung Vieng and cruising into the geological park of this bay will definitely be delightful moments for you to remember. Overnight onboard Au Co Cruise.

DAY 06: HANOI – SAIGON (flight journey: approx.2h)

Halong Bay, designated a UNESCO world heritage site for its limestone rock formations, is home to about 2,000 isles and islets of different shapes and sizes, creating a truly breath-taking seascape. At its heart is the highest concentration of limestone rocks in the area and caves and grottoes abound. One of the most beautiful is the Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave. Exceptional because of its size and the shapes which have been created by millions of years of erosion, the Surprise Cave is not to be missed. At Lunch time disembark and transfer back to Hanoi’s airport for a flight to Saigon. Overnight in Saigon.

DAY 07: SAIGON

Day at leisure in Saigon to enjoy exploring the city by yourself, indulge yourself with a spa or catch up on some shopping! Overnight in Saigon

DAY 08 SAIGON – MY THO (transfer time: 1h45m)

Bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Saigon as you travel 70 kilometers south by land to My Tho to embark on your cruise. You will be served a refreshing welcome drink as the ship steadily glides along the Mekong. As the ship sails down the river, you will get to bathe in the fading sunset on the balcony lounge. As you approach Cai Be, the ship drops anchor to moor midstream. Overnight onboard Javayarman

DAY 09: CAI BE – SA DEC – CHAU DOC (transfer time: approx. 3h)

This morning drive to Halong Bay, 170km from Hanoi. You stopover at the ceramic and hand embroidery workshops en route. Board your private boat for a beautiful cruise along Halong Bay (4 hours), a world heritage site recognised by UNESCO in 1994. You will also visit some magical grottoes and relax in the best scenic beauty Vietnam has to offer. A fresh seafood lunch is served on board. Take a short city tour of Halong Bay after disembarkation. You could visit the local night market after dinner. Overnight onboard Javayarman.

DAY 10: CHAU DOC

Brace yourself for a short excursion in Chau Doc, a pleasant town near the Cam- bodian border with sizeable Chinese, Kinh and Khmer communities. You will also visit the colorful local market near the local ancient temple. This will be followed by a cruise through the floating villages and rustic catfish farms. By mid-afternoon, the cruise liner will make its way to the border for Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It is an opportune time to relax on-board, sharpen your culinary skills with our hands-on cooking classes. After hours of cruising, we will feel the rush of enter- ing into a new country and to embrace new adventures. Overnight on board Javayarman

DAY 11: PHNOM PENH

Despite its rapid development, Phnom Penh has retained a lot of its rustic charm and elegance. After breakfast, you will be captivated by a city tour of this dynamic, historical capital city of Cambodia which has managed to preserve huge slices of its French colonial allure. Sightseeing in the morning will include visiting the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, and witnessing beautiful Khmer craft at the National Museum. In the afternoon, you will visit the Genocide museum and the famed tragic Killing Fields. A variety of cocktails will be served followed by a traditional Apsara dance performance onboard. Overnight on board the Jayavarman.

DAY 12: PHNOM PENH – KAMPONG CHAM

You will depart before the break of dawn from Phnom Penh with a stop at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving village. You will then return to the ship and will cruise past the Mekong’s tranquil villages, exhilarating river life and sun-hardened fishermen on their make shift boats. You will tour the rural Angkor Ban village where time seems to be standing still. Then, back to the ship to cruise towards Kampong Cham. Overnight on board the Jayavarman.

DAY 13: KAMPONG CHAM – WAT HANCHEY

You will wake up in the small hours of the morning to embark on a land journey to the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the river, it offers one of the most breathtaking views in Cambodia. You will return to the ship to witness a blessing ceremony performed by orange-clad local monks. You will then cruise towards Kampong Cham to visit Wat Nokor, built within the ruins of an ancient temple which holds a timeless story. Overnight on board the Jayavarman.

DAY 14 KAMPONG CHAM – KAMPONG CHHANG:

Before the sun peeks over the horizon, the cruiser sets sail towards Kampong Chhnang on the Tonle Sap River – an amazingly narrow river – which glides through leafy swaths of the Southeast Asian jungle. Then you approach Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia’s ‘waterworld’ where everything is on stilts balanced on water rich soil – it’s an awesome sight whilst practicing Tai Chi on the deck. Here you take a motorboat excursion to the landing, followed by a short bus trip to see the Khmer-styled pottery at the Aundaung Russey village. Then, it is back to the river for a motorboat excursion to the wetlands, floating houses and fish farms in the region. You will then return to the ship for lunch whilst cruising the narrow and meandering Tonle Sap. Your floating sanctuary will then cruise gently, in the afternoon, along the narrow and meander- ing Tonle Sap. Overnight on board the Jayavarman.

DAY 15: TONLE SAP – SIEM REAP

Tonle Sap dominates Cambodia and is the largest freshwater lake in Asia resplendent with abundant birdlife. This lake is so wide that one cannot see its shores from the middle of the lake. Enjoy the stillness of the water and the quiet tranquility on the way to Siem Reap. The water level varies a great deal according to the time of the year and the amount of rainfall recorded. Thus, minor changes to the itinerary may occur during different seasons. Our cruise aboard the Jayavarman comes to an end as we reach this city of the fabled Angkor temple complex. We bid farewell to the cruise as our journey comes to a close. Proceed to Siem Reap for your departure flight to London.